Zucchini is a vegetable I associate with the summer, so we have a constant supply the whole season. We’ll typically use them in briami, or add them to lathera, or bake or fry them. As I mentioned Greeks love using zucchini in many ways. Here is a simple (and not so common)recipe that works very well as an appetizer or even as a side dish: cheese filled zucchini.
I was inspired by a Cretan recipe that uses Cretan mitzithra in the stuffing and staka a type of butter made from sheep’s milk. This recipe is a bit lighter, it includes feta along with Greek yogurt, herbs and olive oil. I also added some barley breadcrumbs for a healthier version. The filling reminds a bit of a filling used for stuffed mushrooms you often see served as an hors d’oeuvre.
Stuffed Zucchini with Feta and Herbs
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium sized zucchini
- 3 ounces feta
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs I used barley or you can use whole wheat
- 2 teaspoon chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons chopped mint
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons dry oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 350 Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
- Wash the zucchini and boil the zucchini whole for about 10 minutes. Remove from pot and let it cool.
- In a bowl mash all the other ingredients together.
- Cut the edges on each side and then cut the zucchini in the middle lengthwise.
- With a small spoon remove the inside and seeds of the zucchini.
- Fill each half with the cheese mixture and place in a pan.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until the cheese has browned on the surface.
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Photo by Elena Paravantes
10 Comments
This was absolutely delicious and the leftovers the next day even better. I experimented with a combination of feta, shredded kasseri and shredded kefalotyri… oh so good. And I saved the carved out pulp and chopped it with fresh tomatoes and added feta and added it to scrambled eggs. A definite keeper….
Thank you Konstantina! Love your additions!
The recipe is pretty simple. Let the Zucchini grow larger than usual till it gets firm. Cut the Zucchini in half and scoop out the seeds a section of the middle. Dice up and cook down two medium sized tomatoes and mix with oregano. All the while this is going on bake the Zucchini halves for 30 minutes in olive oil on 350. Then mix the tomatoes and zucchini together and add feta on top.
Thanks Bart for sharing. Sounds good!
What types of Zucchini do you grow there? I have a 1/2 veggie garden every year and use Zucchini in so many recipes. My wife made a Zucchini pizza you might be interested in. It was Zucchini with diced tomatoes cooked down sprinkled on top with melted feta cheese. It was really good.
Hi Bart, I would say a typical variety, green and small. Please share your pizza recipe, it sounds so good!
Thanks! I look forward to making these! I used up two beautiful zucchini last night, and no one was a fan of how they came out from being in the oven. I sliced them and roasted them. They were mushy. I wish I had seen this recipe before doing that!
Thanks Beth! If you want them more crunchy when roasting, cut them thin, and add enough olive oil.
Sounds very delicious:) I’ve recently made Greek zucchini fritters – kolokithokeftedes and their were great:)
Thanks Zuzanna!